There are few things Dale Earnhardt Jr. has needed to worry about during the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. NASCAR’s most popular driver has three wins, enters Saturday’s race at Richmond second in the championship points and it firmly seeded in this year’s championship Chase. He also doesn’t need to worry about sponsorship for next season. At the start of August, on of his primary sponsors, the Army National Guard announced they would not be in motorsports next season. The move is somewhat controversial as according to the Hendrick Motorsports team, the Guard has a contract through the 2015 season.

Friday however, Nationwide Insurance, which is dropping its title sponsorship of NASCAR’s number two touring season next year, was announced that it will increase its involvement next season to become primary sponsor of Earnhardt and the No. 88 Chevy for 21 Sprint Cup races including the season opening Daytona 500. The team released a statement to coincide with the Nationwide announcement indicating that the discussion of the Army National Guard sponsorship may not be over.

“Representing the National Guard and its Citizen Soldiers is an extraordinary honor and source of pride for our entire organization. Communication is ongoing with regard to the future of the sponsorship, which is contracted through the 2015 season.”MORE>>>